Got my hands on the CMD controllers!

**contra** · 05-06-2013, 11:26 PM

COOL

I think we're all wondering how the build quality is on these. How do the knobs/faders/buttons feel?

**punky** · 05-06-2013, 11:39 PM

The buttons have a very firm click behind them. They feel very hardy. I like them a lot. The click is not quite as deep as the F1, and the buttons are a harder rubber. It's definitely, legitimately different. Not better or worse. Just different.

The MM-1's crossfader is no Innofader, but hey, I'm spoiled.

The line faders are 60mm for which I am eternally grateful. I do most of my multi-channel mixing with line faders, so having more travel distance is always great. There's a bit more tension on them. Way less than a DJM-800, more than a PMC-05. Slightly less than the SCS4DJ, which I also have sitting next to me.

The endless knobs vary in how tight they feel, but I haven't really plugged things up to use them so it's hard to say how the units will feel in practice. I recorded an 85 minute podcast tonight and then put together demos for my wife's audiobook studio demo, so I haven't had much time to fuss. In fact I have to be in the office in about 9 hours and I'm staying up and talking to you schmoes. Because I love the fuck out of you all.

In terms of awesome layout, the DV-1 really takes the cake here. It is literally everything you ever wanted for Traktor and then some. It's definitely designed with the DVS fraternity in mind, so it doesn't have transport, but it has loops, hot cues, and two FX units (four knobs, four buttons) along with mode selector buttons so you can control ALL FOUR FX BANKS with TWO PHYSICAL SETS OF KNOBS.

Suddenly, using four FX banks is doable! Crazy. I really like this unit.

Also, the back of the MM-1 has a little knob around which you can wrap your power cable, which is pretty clutch for preventing disastrous mid-set accidents.

**punky** · 05-06-2013, 11:41 PM

Lightshow, bitches!

When you turn it on, it gives you a little flashing Christmas tree lightshow which is neat. This is a photo of the units, plugged into the main hub of the MM-1, and ready to rock. Not plugged into the computer though.

**punky** · 05-06-2013, 11:46 PM

Another thing that I'm really grateful for is the fact that all five MIDI controllers are class compliant. No fancy extra drivers necessary. I am deeply thankful for this as my Xponent is getting long in the tooth and Avid is useless when it comes to support since they've abandoned the whole damn hardware / software platform. My Xponent is starting to do very weird things at gigs. It still works but it's finicky.

If Uli Behringer drops dead tomorrow, and the entire empire comes tumbling down in a "an hour of wolves and shattered shields when the Age of [Behringer] comes crashing down," these controllers will still work. MIDI class compliance is MIDI class compliance, across all OS platforms. That is the kind of forethought that I really appreciate as a user.

**punky** · 05-06-2013, 11:50 PM

Oh and another thing - the deck switch button on the PL1 (that switches deck focus on the PL-1 itself) actually changes the MIDI channel that the unit sends on. I have some premade TSIs that I haven't had a chance to try out yet, but this means that there's a LOT less wacky modifier nonsense in the TSIs themselves, which will make them a lot more immediately transparent to people who want to do mods.

And speaking of mods, units like this really lend themselves to the mod community. There's no HID "secret handshake" between the unit and Traktor - it's all out in the open where you can see it, change it, and tweak it to your heart's content. It's all just MIDI, and MIDI is universal.

Now NI just needs to unlock those remix decks in the controller manager and let us start making our own maps for the DC-1 and the LC-1!! Hopefully at some point in the future.

**punky** · 05-06-2013, 11:52 PM

Also, each other unit transmits on another MIDI channel by default. The PL-1 is on MIDI channel 1-4. The MM-1 is on Channel 5. The DC-1 is on 6. The DV-1 is on 7. The LC-1 is on 8.

This way, none of the units ever gets up in the other unit's shit. Now granted, if you have other MIDI controllers and you're adding onto your pre-existing setup with the CMD series, there may be conflicts. But not within the CMD controller universe. Again, forethought and design here. So thankful.

**nem0nic** · 05-07-2013, 12:27 AM

Oh and another thing - the deck switch button on the PL1 (that switches deck focus on the PL-1 itself) actually changes the MIDI channel that the unit sends on. I have some premade TSIs that I haven't had a chance to try out yet, but this means that there's a LOT less wacky modifier nonsense in the TSIs themselves, which will make them a lot more immediately transparent to people who want to do mods.

This is EXACTLY why I did it that way. I'm so happy you got that.